Archive for January, 2018

Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.

The Torn Curtain

Matt. 27:50-51

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

Acts 1 (NIV)

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Mission

God’s will in the hands sinners!

Two words: Ekklesia vs. Kirke

The New Testament Greek Lexicon

Ekklesia Definition:

a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly. 2. An assembly of Christians gathered for worship

1) Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) – the church that had forsaken its first love.

(2) Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) – the church that would suffer persecution.

(3) Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) – the church that needed to repent.

(4) Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) – the church that had a false prophetess.

(5) Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) – the church that had fallen asleep.

(6) Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13) – the church that had endured patiently.

(7) Laodicea (Rev.) – the church with the lukewarm faith.

From a letter to Diognetus 120 AD

Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.

And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children. They share their meals, but not their wives.

They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they, rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.

Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself.”

Our everyday horizontal life should be completely energized by our vertical relationship.

Ephesians 2:19-22

So you are no longer strangers and outsiders. You are citizens together with God’s people. You are members of God’s family.

20 You are a building that is built on the apostles and prophets. They are the foundation. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in the building. 21 The whole building is held together by him. It rises to become a holy temple because it belongs to the Lord.

22 And because you belong to him, you too are being built together. You are being made into a house where God lives through his Spirit.

John 13:34

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

παρακαλεῖτε (parakaleite)

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.We are here on Earth to be the hands and feet of God. Not to hide in Him but to abide in Him.